Dauntless Mockingjay
by SamLeTacoGoddess
Summary: I started writing this a year ago, so the first 2 parts are bad but the rest is better, promise.
1. Chapter 1

Katniss' POV

My eyes flash open, making my vision blurry. There's a constant pounding in my head that breaks through the grogginess along with the pressure of someone's arm wrapped around me; Peeta. His presence is comforting, an almost necessary sense of security, like a blanket. I'd enjoy it if not for the constant throbbing pain. I keep my eyes closed, trying to ignore the discomfort. The rhythmic sound of Peeta's breathing is…unfamiliar, strange. His touch is familiar, but at the same time, it's not. It still makes me feel safe, but my mind doesn't register it as him. Familiar but unfamiliar.

I glance down at the arm that has been placed around me. It's pale, too pale to be Peeta's. My heart skips a beat, it has to be a trick of the light, it has to be. For the first time since waking up, I look around my side of the room, but it's not the bedroom I've known for years, not even close. From what I can see in the dim lighting, it's just a featureless black room, empty except for the bed and the people in it. A knot twists in my stomach as I dare to strain to see who's lying beside me. I beg silently for it to be Peeta, that I'm just losing my mind again, but somehow I know that I'm not, it's more than that.

In an instant I'm on my feet, free from a strange man's grasp. His eyes flash open, they're a deep, chilling blue, odd and dreamlike. They appear startled, worried, concerned even. He watches me, shocked, as I press my back against the cold dark wall, searching for a door. The hammering in my head slows me down, but I can still process what's going on around me.

He throws off his blanket and I flinch, refusing to meet his piercing eyes and pale body. Hesitantly, he steps onto the floor, I fumble for a doorknob, anything really, but nothing's there. My gaze shifts to him standing up, considering his option. His appearance makes me stop dead; his body, pale with a lanky yet muscular frame, lacks a shred of clothing. That's when I realize, neither do I. I shudder, unable to make another movement. He takes another step towards me, his muscles taut but his actions wary.  
"Tris?" he asks in a silent whisper.

I shake my head, "Who are you?"

He abandons his hesitance and comes over, wrapping his arms tightly around me. He begins to coo that girl's name over and over, moving my now-short hair away from my neck. Before I know what I'm doing, my elbow connects with his nose and he backs away, holding his hand up to his nose, stunned.

"Who are you?" I repeat, my tone more forceful this time.

"You know who I am, Tris. Stop this. Stop it right now."

Anger wells up inside of me, my hands ball into fists. He goes rigid. "No, I don't know who you are. Now tell me your name."

He watches me, hands at his sides. His expression is blank, but I know he is as confused as I am, unsure of what's going on, what to make of this.

"Tris, it's Four." He says tentatively.

My eyes narrow, focusing on him, "Why are you calling me Tris, _Four_?"

The amount of poison in my voice is obvious now; I make no effort to hide it, there's no point.

"It's your name."  
"I'm not Tris."

"Then who are you?" he asks skeptically, his body shifting into a different stance, showing he's on edge.

"I am Mockingjay."

It's too much for Four to handle. I thought he would've known who I am by that, but even if he knew who the Mockingjay is, I certainly don't appear to be the same girl. He thinks I'm his beloved, but I'm not. His movement is too quick for me to stop it. His fingers lock around my throat and he slams me into the wall with all his strength. The wind is knocked out of me and I'm in too much shock fight him, his grip tightens around my neck as lifts me up in the air. I struggle to breathe as I find the will to thrash against his hold.

"Who are you?!" he demands, voice filled with rage, eyes burning with hatred, "Who are you and what have you done with Tris?!" Tobias slams me against the wall repeatedly, not allowing me to catch my breath. He's lost his mind all of a sudden, no rationality within him. My vision goes hazy again, my thoughts mar together as I run out of oxygen. I'm vaguely aware of him dropping me, of crumpling on the ground.

A spasm of coughing leaves my lips as he looms over me, the look of a madman in his eyes. Four reaches for me again but I shrink away, back into the wall.

"Who are you?!" he screams into my ear, starting to shake me violently, "What have you done with her?!"

My head hits the wall repeatedly, I'm unable to form enough words, but as the world fades to black I manage to force one slurred word, "Katniss."


	2. Chapter 2: Who is she?

TRIS'S POV

"Mommy! Mommy!" a girl squeals. My eyes open in time to see her climb onto the bed and jump next to me with a soft thud.

This had to have been a dream. The sun was shining and each unfamiliar face was smiling. I stepped out of bed and to a mirror. My body was taller, stronger, my eyesight much better than it ever had been. Dark brown hair falls past my shoulders and I stare at my olive skin with grey eyes. This wasn't me. But who was it?

_This was a dream, _I remind myself. I run my fingers through the soft strands; they smell strange, like trees. Nature. Something I haven't smelled for a long time. My head throbs faintly and I place my fingers on my forehead.

I felt a warm breath on the back of my neck and the pressure of a soft hand on my free arm. My eyes flashed open to see a blonde boy, no larger and older than Tobias, his eyes a piercing blue.

Then it occurred to me. _This felt all too real…._

I darted away from the boy and out the door, running down the stairs. Panicked thoughts ran through my head.

"Katniss?" Someone's hand wrapped around my wrist. "Katniss…what's wrong?"

It was a woman, blonde hair, blue eyes. Who was she? Who was the boy? Who was the little girl? Why was I here? Was this a simulation…or…or….

My heartbeat slowed and I stood still. The only way to go back to my body was too calm down. The woman's face seemed to relax and I myself calmed down. After a few minutes the boy came downstairs and wrap his arms around me. He smelled like bread.

We sat on a couch; I laid my head on his shoulder and breathed in his scent. After a few moments the sky still blue and clear, the horizon cluttered with trees. It was then I had to face facts, this was not a dream, not a simulation, this was real.

But I couldn't make myself move. The warmth of the boy was comforting, but this wasn't my life. It was Katniss', whoever she was. I sat up with the boy and looked him dead in the eye. He took my hands and held them to his chest; I ignored the gesture and pulled my hands away.

"What's wrong?" he asks, worry fills his voice and his eyes. Immediately I think of Tobias and my heart swells. I ignore that too.

Instead, I clear my throat, "Who is Katniss?"

A plate shatters.

The blonde boy simply cups my chin in his hands and says. "You are."

I pull my face away and shake my head, "No. I'm not." My voice quivers, "Who are you?"

"Peeta Mellark." He whispers, his voice thick. Tears trailed down his face. He must've loved her to be crying over her already. He must think I am her, but without any memory.

Maybe I was. Except the fact that I know who I really am. I'm just in the wrong place. I turn my focus back on Peeta. The tears glimmered in his eyes, causing them to turn a brighter even more piercing shade of blue. He was handsome in a way, so kind and gentle. His partner must've been the same way. They must've been Amity, both of them.

Peeta's tears made me sick in a way. Crying over someone they love. I would never cry if I lost Tobias, would I? I'm not sure anymore. The longer I watched him, the more my body longed to hug him and comfort him; to stop his cries. In the end, that need won.

"Don't cry, please, don't cry." I awkwardly wrap my arms around him. The body wanted more, but this was already too much.

Peeta took it as a hopeful gesture that I remembered and his eyes sparkled. His soft deft hands lift my chin and his lips pressed against mine. The pressure was gentle and he tasted of bread and flour. I wanted to pull away but this body had other ideas. My hand entangled itself into his hair and my lips responded to his touch.

There was not a coherent thought in my body, just the feel of his lips on mine. It burned like fire; his skin against mine, his breath- all of it. It was so different from the electric sparks from when Tobias and I kissed. _Tobias…._

Immediately I pulled away, ashamed of my behavior- of myself. My face hardens as his face was filled with hurt and rejection. It was then I realized the others trying to look casual behind us. The fingers- my fingers- the ones that did not truly belong to me- catch his chin, forcing him to look at me.

"Listen," I say with a heavy sigh, "I'm not your Katniss. I am Tris Prior. I don't know how I got here or why I am here but I do know one thing. We are going to find her."


	3. Chapter 3: Trust

Tris's POV

It didn't take long for Peeta and I to decide that the kids shouldn't know I wasn't their mom. Katniss' mother was still in shock and refused to look at me, like I had asked to be here. I spent the morning pretending to be the mother of these kids, trying to act like nothing had happened. They believed me, I almost believed.

We spent the day in the meadow; crisp autumn air blew past me as the vibrant reds and yellows of the leaves dances in the wind. It was so peaceful, a more secluded version of the Amity. Peeta showed me how I always braided my hair, though I thought it was strange how he knew how to do it. He taught me the in's and out's of how to be Katniss for the kids.

_He must really love her to know all of this. And these kids, to be trying to get me, a total stranger, to act like their mother. _I couldn't help but thinking as we sat in the soft early autumn grass, my head resting on Peeta's shoulder. To let a stranger be near you the way he was letting me, I couldn't even imagine it, even if they looked just like Tobias. But the way Katniss' body felt against Peeta's was so natural; I just let it lead my actions. I almost forgot who I really was, that I was Katniss, watching the girl with the soft brown curls and little blonde boy jump into piles of leaves as I did every day.

Peeta pulled me closer to him as we passed out lunch. The little girl stared at me with bright blue eyes, the same shade as Peeta's. She studied my expression and I tensed, thinking she saw through me, but Peeta hugged me with one arm and I relaxed, handing her a cheese bun.

We ate and walked back to the house. My fingers were intertwined with Peeta's. The wind blew my brown hair back and I watched him tuck it behind my ear and smile at me. His touch sent a shiver down my spine.

The kids went into the other room to play, or whatever it is these kids do, and Peeta and I went back outside. He claimed to have something to show me. Our hands were still locked together as he explained to me what life was like here, what Katniss was like, and the rebellion. As walked through a large hole in a fence, he paused, his expression grim. "I'll never forget what happened in those years."

I shuddered, "You guys really went through all of that?" These people seemed so soft and caring, it was impossible to tell anything had happened to them.

He nodded. "I'm just glad we got through it."

Silence hung in the air as we walked through forest, the smell of dirt thick, the sod soft beneath my boots. We stopped at a small lake with a house on the other side. Curiosity got the better of me and I strolled towards it. I could feel Peeta's warm smile as he followed.

Hesitantly, I stepped inside, looking at the bare, stone grey walls and fireplace with dying embers. He sat in a corner, shrugging off his jacket. I followed his example.

"I'm sorry." I manage to say.

His gaze fixed itself on me, I froze. "What for?"

I shrugged, "I always thought I had it bad, I never imagined it could get much worse. But what you faced, it sounds so much more scarring." I stopped, taking notice of how he was watching me with an intent expression, "What?" I asked.

"Nothing. It's just- you seem so much like Katniss, yet so different. If I can ask, what happened to you?"

There was a long pause in between us. Thoughts swam through my head. Should I really be putting absolute trust into a stranger I didn't even know? He could be planning to kill me right now. I held his gaze for what felt like an eternity, his clear blue eyes seemed so pure, so innocent. I realized how much he trusted me, like he believed I was put into his wife's body for a reason, that I could be trusted, and poured his heart out to me. It was selfish of me to hold back my story, to distrust him. He was so strange, trusting and kind, Amity and Candor, something I never thought I'd witness. It made me wonder what Katniss was like; he said she was like me, but yet so different. Maybe I'd find out one day.

But for now, I was with the blonde baker, who wanted to hear my story. So I cleared my throat and started from the beginning. I explained the factions, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, Erudite, and Abnegation, what they each value, how they live. I told him about my childhood, growing up a selfless girl, never fitting in, then about the aptitude test. I told him I was Divergent, something dangerous at the time, how I transferred to Dauntless, leaving out the parts about Tobias. He listened intently, only stopping me to ask a few questions, like how simulations worked or what I had an aptitude for.

My throat was parched when I reached the end of my story; my eyes were closed as a few tears trickled down my cheeks. What was I doing, crying in front of a complete stranger? He probably thought I was weak. When I opened my eyes after a moment of silence, I saw I was wrong. Peeta had been wiping a few stray tears away as well.

Who was this boy, really? He was so open, so kind, so honest, but the things he went through were more than half of Dauntless could handle, and yet he sheds a tear over my story. "I'm sorry." He whispered in a hoarse voice.

"Don't worry about it." I shrug, clearing my throat once more. A chill had settled in the house, the silence thicker than ever. It was unnerving.

With a cough, Peeta rose to his feet and walked outside, I followed. The sun was setting, the soft, vibrant orange seeping through the trees. I watched in awe, never seeing this before. Then something odd happened, a tune started playing. It was a bittersweet melody, one that reminded me of death, but at the same time of freedom, even if it had no words to it. I wasn't sure where the sound was coming from when I saw a few birds perched on random branches.

The song flowed out of my mouth, only with words, the sound as bittersweet as the birds. I had never even heard the song, but my body, my mind, knew. Peeta froze beside me as I sung.

"Are you, are you, coming to the tree. Wear a necklace of rope side by side with me. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be, if we met up at midnight in the hanging tree." My mouth closed and my eyes widened.

Peeta slide his arm around my waist, "That was beautiful." I could feel my cheeks flushing.

There was a sudden snap of a twig and I spun around on my heel, ready to face whoever had interrupted us. When I saw who, my jaw dropped.

"Did I interrupt something?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

I couldn't stop myself from blurting out his name, "Tobias?!"


	4. Chapter 4: Waking Up

Katniss's POV

Hushed voices filled my ears, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. I forced my eyes open, but my vision was blurry. I could make out a tan figure looming over me, and, after a few moments, his wide grin.

"Why, hello sleeping beauty." He chuckled.

I glared at him, trying to sit up. My head pounded in protest and I buried it in my hands. The smile on his face faded and he was hovering over me protectively.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm just fine." I said, glancing up at him to get a look at his face.

His eyes were a warm brown, as open and friendly as the easy smile that spread across his face. He watched me with an odd fascination, analyzing every move I made, making me tense. My stomach lurched and I bent over, only to have him help me sit upright.

"Don't touch me." I said in a weak voice, I didn't care how trusting and good-looking he seemed, I still didn't want him touching me.

He shook his head, chucking. "Are you sure you aren't Tris, pulling some sick joke on Four?"

I glared at him, "Who? You mean the guy that choked me earlier?" his face got serious.

"Is that what he did? He wouldn't do that unless he was sure…." His eyes widened, "Who are you then? Some kind of Erudite made clone-"

"A Clone? No, I don't even know what that is, or what Erudite is for that matter. Who are you?"

He sat on the foot of the bed. For the first time, I took in my surroundings. It was darker than I thought, a light blazed on a bedside table but past the glowing light, it was pitch black. The only things I could see were him, the bed, and a curtain. A hospital room.

His gaze followed mine, trying to see what was wrong with me before answering, "Hey, I asked you first." He joked, his expression not matching his tone, "I'm Uriah."

"Katniss."

"You have a strange name." he said matter of factly. I rolled my eyes.

"Says the guy named Uriah." I smiled.

Uriah's arm moved towards me, tucking a piece of my now-blonde hair behind my ear. I let him, trying to keep relaxed. His easy grin grew, as did my smile.

"You look just like her." He noted.

"Who? Tris?" he nodded and I shrugged, "Well I'm not sure how, I've never been blonde in my life, or so _short_." I said as I stepped onto the rough floor.

I was dressed in a short black dress, much more revealing then I liked. I blushed when I saw it. When I looked back up at him, I saw he was blushing too.

"Christina dressed you." He said, as if that were supposed to explain everything. He must've remembered I didn't know who that was, "Come on, I'll show you around." He held out his hand, and for some reason, I took it, still smiling.

We walked through the cool dark hallways, my eyes already well-adjusted to the dark. After a few minutes of silence, we reached what he called the pit. A few heads turned as we walked down the path. I watched children run around on the paths where they could easily fall to their deaths. My heart leapt, how could parents allow their children to do things like that?

Uriah pointed out everything there was to see in this place. I only half listened. I noted important things, like not to get near the chasm, and where we ate, but for the most part, I just watched people walk by. Some of them stared at Uriah and I, holding hands while he explained things to me.

By the time we sat at a table for lunch, I knew all about the Dauntless Compound and the city we lived in. What I didn't know was what he handed me. It was a brown slab of meat in between two slippery buns. He looked at me incredulously.

"You know what that is, don't you?" I shook my head and he laughed. "It's called a hamburger, try it."

My teeth sank into the burger. It was different than anything I've ever tasted, not bad, just different. Remembering what little table manners I had, I scarfed down the burger. Uriah's eyes never left me, even as I ate. Maybe he had a thing for Tris, the girl whose body I was in, or maybe he was fascinated with me being placed into her body. Maybe he was waiting for me to go back to being the girl he knew. He watched me the way Peeta does, it was unnerving.

"So," I say, "What was Tris like? And what about Tobias, he seems to care for Tris an awful lot based on what I-"I stopped talking and blushed. Why was I being so talkative? This wasn't like me, at all.

"Tris was, is, small as you can probably tell," he smirked, "but fierce, she doesn't think she's pretty either, but there are a few guys who would rip her away from Tobias if they could." He laughed, "She's always been unaware of that."  
"Are you one of those guys?"

He shook his head, "No, not really. I view her more as a best friend than anything else. After I lost Marlene I never really looked for anyone else after that."

"I take it you loved her." There was a knot in my stomach, what was wrong with me?

He nodded this time keeping quiet for a long time, food half-finished, staring at his hands. I took the time to notice how strong he really was, though he seemed soft and full of humor. Things haunt him like they do me, but he let his feelings show.

I cleared my throat and forced a smile, he looked up at me, "I remember you said you guys had great cake."

The smile returned on his face and he told me to stay where I was. I watched him walk off with a bounce in his step. It made my smile grow wider. The smile faded when someone else slid across from me.

"Hey Tris." Said a smooth deep voice. The speaker stared at me coldly, his body tense.

I only sighed, "I'm not Tris."

"Then who are you? You look just like her." His eyebrows rose.

"I don't see the need to tell you who I am." I snapped, "Who are you?"

He chuckled arrogantly, it took all I had not to take my plate and throw it at him. "I see no need to tell you that, either."

I glared at him, pouring all the hate I could muster into my gaze. Uriah came back to us staring at each other like we wanted to tear one another's throats out but there was an invisible glass wall holding us back, two slices of cake in his hands.

"Back off, Peter." He half-growled. Peter dropped my gaze and stood up.

"Fine, but first, tell me who the hell this is. She's obviously not Tris, even if she looks at acts quite a bit like her"

"She's a friend of mine, Peter. She didn't ask to be here. Don't bother her, just because you were hoping to make a move-"

Peter snapped, fire blazing behind his eyes, and punched Uriah. Uriah ducked and tried to hit Peter, but he was too quick. They were a blur of black in the light room. My head was swimming from the movement. No one else around us appeared to be bothered by the two guys fighting, like it wasn't completely ordinary. What kind of place was this?

Peter's fist slammed into Uriah's face, sending him back a few feet. Uriah was holding his bleeding nose, blood dripping onto his palms. I didn't doubt Uriah's strength, but something inside of me knew Peter was going to win, and that I needed to stop him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the glint of a knife. It was dull, a butter knife. I picked it up, then looked at the two boys.

Peter had Uriah on his knees and was standing over him. Without hesitation, I flung the butter knife at him. It hit the upper part of his back and he fell to his knees. Uriah sprung up, looking at me in disbelief. I rushed over to Peter and pulled out the knife. It was covered in blood.

A thousand images flashed in front of my eyes. I stumbled backwards, watching the memories. The first Games. Glimmer's corpse after the Tracker Jacker attack, Rue, dying in my arms, Thresh, taking a rock and smashing Clove's skull until the life left her. The second. Mags, jumping into the poisonous fog, Wiress, throat slit and blood streaming down. The rebellion. Mitchell, trapped in a mesh net, covered in black sludge. Boggs, legs blown off in a bloody mess. Finnick, just married, head torn off by Lizard Mutts while I kept running to safety. Prim, her body set to flame and imploding from the pressure of the bombs. All of it hit me like a ton of bricks. Vision clearing, I see Peter cough up some blood and I fall backwards.

A pair of rough hands catch me and scoop me up. I whimper, watching the blood collect on the ground before me. Uriah turns my face, forcing me to look up at him.

"Are you ok?"

I shake my head, looking down at Peter. I winced and looked back up at Uriah, shaking my head again. "I need- I need-"

Before I could finish the thought, Uriah's lips brushed mine, gentle at first, then fierce. My arms wrapped around his neck and I was lost in a daze.


	5. Chapter 5: Searching

Tobias's POV

As soon as that Katniss-girl's head hit to the floor with a soft thud I stormed out of the room. She looked so much like Tris, sounded like her, it even acted like her. Not it- she. She was just like her; the expression on her face tore me apart. It flashed behind my lids every time I blinked. Her dim eyes wide and shining, full of shock, fear. Her face contorted; the nearly silent whisper of her name. It all made my stomach churn.

_She's not Tris. _I remind myself, she's _a fake. An imposter. She doesn't matter. _But she did. She was too much like her. I might've thought she was a clone made by the Erudite if I hadn't checked through all of their "technologic advancements" within the past week. Besides, them creating a clone wouldn't make sense unless-

My face paled and I froze. It felt like ice was running through my veins. _No. Don't think like that. Tris is still alive. She has to be._

I sprinted out of the Compound, the morning sun blinding me. Thoughts clouded my mind as I hauled myself into a train car, watching the city go by in a blink of an eye. My back rested against a wall of the car, and I closed my eyes.

None of this made sense. Who was that girl I woke up next to? She wasn't a clone, and Tris doesn't have a twin. So who? And where was Tris? Was she okay? I had spent hours in a furious rage, searching for any clues that would lead me to any answers. I found none.

The train slowed as it neared the fence that surrounded our city. I leaped, landing on my feet almost stumbling. Cursing under my breath, I walked towards the gate. I'm sure someone would've stopped me if I would've been anyone but me, but since I am who I am, they didn't question me as I typed a code and the towering fence had begun to open. Without hesitation, I broke into a run. The gate closed behind me.

The shadow of the wall that ran around our city slipped behind me as I sprinted forwards with a new determination.

My only choice was to believe someone had taken her outside, she wasn't anywhere in the city. She had to be out here somewhere. And she wouldn't have left on her own. Would she? My throat closed up at the thought, I refused to believe she'd leave like that.

The sun beat down on me as endless questions ran through my head. Sweat dripped down my face, swept away by a cool autumn breeze. I pushed myself forwards for miles on the single thought that she was out there somewhere. Different scenes played in my head, each more torturing than the last. But they were the only things that tore my mind away from the dryness of my throat.

I groaned when I reached the edge of a forest, setting my hands on my knees and hanging my head from exhaustion. Dauntless or not, I had been running for hours and was beyond exhausted.

The sun was still high in the sky, its intense light still beating down on me. I wiped the sweat from my brow and leaned against a tree, hoping the shade and wind would cool me down. A cool breeze whipped against my bare arms. The bright red and yellows made the trees look like they were on fire. I guess it was beautiful, if you liked that sort of thing, but I had no time to stand here and look at the forest. I had to keep moving, I had to find her.

I tensed, checking my pockets for the gun I usually carried. When my hand gripped the cool hard metal, I relaxed. After shoving it deeper into my back pocket I began maneuvering around the trees.

Everything was a blur; my thoughts didn't stray from Tris, lost somewhere, alone. I knew it was unrealistic, she was a fighter. She could survive, but that doesn't mean something bad could've happened to her. A part of me, the rational part, was telling me I shouldn't be looking for her out here, that she's back at the Compound, safe and sound. But the rest of me, my body, my mind, everything in my very being told me she was out here. Here, not somewhere else.

I kept on running, thankful for the endurance and determination to keep going. There was a break in the trees, aglow with a soft orange. A sense of dread washed through me, I didn't find her and dusk was here. I doubted I could even make it back before nightfall. My knees felt numb, they couldn't hold me. I fell to my knees, looking at the soft light from the day's end.

A melodic sound filled my ears, making me tense up. Strange birds were perched on random branches, singing a depressing tune. It weighed me down, making my heart sink. The tune was soon followed by a voice. The voice was soft, shaky; I could barely make out the words. It grew louder, more confident. Her words became clear, but still soft. They held the same depressing tune as the birds above.

"…Wear a necklace of rope side by side with me. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be, if we met up at midnight in the hanging tree." She sang in a beautiful tone that made me the feelings of hopelessness grow within me.

I managed to stand again and kept moving forward, towards the sound. Out of habit, I retrieved the gun from my back pocket, holding it tightly in my hand. Each step made a rustling noise and I cursed under my breath. I walked into the opening, gun raised. A man with curly blonde hair and tanned skin had his arm around an olive-toned woman with her hair dark brown in a braid.

A twig snapped beneath my foot, causing the woman to spin around. Her jaw dropped at the sight of me. Her face was full of shock and something else…..recognition.

I cleared my throat, "Did I interrupt something?"

Immediately the girl shouted my name, making my arms drop to my sides. She took a step towards me, forcing me to aim the gun at her. Without a word, the blondie stepped in front of her, shielding her.

"To-Tobias. It's me." she whispered, stepping out from behind the man. "It's Tris."

"You?" I scoffed, "Yeah, right. And I'm Eric." She winced at the sound of her name, making me hesitate. A part of me wanted to reach out and touch her, to believe that's who she was. A part of me knew that was her. But the rational part knew it wasn't.

_She's just pretending. _I thought, analyzing the woman. She stood, as tense as I was, with pleading eyes. With her olive skin, tall frame, and grey eyes she couldn't resemble Tris any less. Regardless, there was a fire in her eyes and the way her face was set. The expression didn't look quite right on her face, but I recognized it as the one Tris wore often when she wanted something, needed it. What I had thought had been pleading was sheer stubbornness masked behind hope. This was Tris; I could tell by the way she stood and looked at me, her eyes filled with love and determination.

_No, stop. This isn't her. Quit fooling yourself. She just wants you to believe that's who she is _I scolded myself. There was no chance this was Tris, it's not like she could switch bodies or anything like that. I just wanted to believe it was her. But she wasn't. These people couldn't be trusted either. I was enraged by this woman, who claimed to be the one I loved. My stomach churned and my hands shook with anger. The tremors rolled off of me in violent waves. With my gun trained on her, I pulled the trigger, flinching at the sound in made.


	6. Chapter 6: Wounded

Peeta's POV

It all happened too fast. One minute, I stood with a woman who looked just like my Katniss, but wasn't her, while she sang. The next, a man bursted through the trees. He looked exhausted, taking constant shaky breaths. His blue eyes were wide and wild. The woman, Tris Prior, tensed up in recognition.

She shouted his name, and he raised a sleek black gun at her. I stepped in front of her. She may not have been Katniss, but I wasn't going to let anything happen to her.

"Tobias." She whispered, nearly sobbing, "It's me, it's Tris."

The man, Tobias, focused his gaze on her as she stepped away from me and into his view. Tobias aimed his gun at her, watching her carefully. I looked over at Tris, wanting so badly to pull her back behind me. He scoffed, making some remark about an Eric. She winced, as if experiencing a bad memory, and he hesitated. They stared at one another for moments on end. I shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to do.

My eyes flickered from Tris to Tobias. She was glaring at him, both outrage and love. My heart ached for Katniss at that moment. Tris may look exactly like her, and act similar to her, but it wasn't her. And she clearly knew Tobias well, even if he didn't seem to recognize her. Tobias' hand shook slightly, daring for her to move.

Without warning, he pulled the trigger. Stunned, Tris froze, her face contorted into a look of utter shock. I knocked myself into her, shoving her to the ground. The bullet broke through my skin, lodging itself in my shoulder. My eyes squeezed shut as I fell to the ground with a soft thud. A wave of agonizing pain washed over me, the warmth of the blood spread further and further away from the wound in my shoulder. The copper scent filled my nose, bringing back memories of the first games all the way to the Rebellion not so long ago. They flooded my mind as I cried out in pain.

Images of mutts, dead bodies, blurred visions of both arenas, and the endless nights in the Capitol danced across my vision. I tried my best to fight them off, breathing through my mouth, forcing my eyes open. Katniss- no not Katniss, Tris- was on her feet, standing in front of me. She was shielding me. Protecting me. The way I wanted to do for her just seconds ago.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I tried to gather my wits. I was unable to make any coherent thoughts or make sense of what they were saying. All I could do is watch as he pointed his gun at her. My stomach turned. The grass felt cool beneath my fingertips, the twigs rough, the colorful leaves brittle. Strands of my blonde hair were matted to my forehead with sweat. The blood didn't stop; it only slowed with the beating of my heart. My gaze never left the two of them. Their lips moved fast and angry, both of their jaws set. Soon I could hear what they were saying.

"…think I asked for this? Think I wanted to end up here? Tobias, I don't think you understand-"

"Shut up! Just, shut up! I don't even know who you are! Why should I listen to you?" Tobias shouted, the veins on his neck sticking out. My hands trembled slightly in anger. No one should be talking to her like that. Tears welled up in her eyes, her face reminding me so much of Katniss. I pushed back more memories, cringing.

"You know who I am! You just don't want to admit it. I'm not even sure why I'm here or why I look like this, but I just don't want it to end like this. And I know you don't want it to either. After all that's happened to us, between us, you'd just shoot me down now. For pride. And him as well. What did he ever do to you, _Four_?"

She said 'Four' with so much hatred in her voice that we all flinched. I thought his name was Tobias. I thought she loved this man. Why is she acting like this towards him? Why is she defending me? I'm not much more than a stranger to her, and she looks at him like he's the world to her.

"You're not Tris! You can't be! You're lying. You have to be…" His arms lowered and his grip on the gun faltered. It met the ground but no one dared to pick it up. No one spoke for the longest time, either. Not even the mockingjays. All was silent, all was still. But everything was far from calm.

Tris continued to glare at him, shaking with anger. Four, Tobias, whoever he was, stared at her. His gaze was a mixture of awe and disbelief. Then it turned to anger, then back to complete disbelief. He didn't want to believe it. The silence continued until I opened my mouth to speak.

Both sets of eyes turned to me as I drew in a deep breath and began, "Look, I don't know who you are and I don't care. But this woman, she says her name is Tris Prior. She hasn't told me much more than that, but what I do know is that that's who she is. Tris looks exactly like my wife, the woman I love more than anything. But it's not her, I know it's not my Katniss. I can feel it in my heart," I took in a breath, not giving them time to speak when they opened their mouths, "It's obvious she knows you, that she loves you. Even if she doesn't look the same. And it's still her; it's still your Tris. If I could have Katniss back right now, no matter what she looked like, I'd take her back for sure, no thought about it. So why the hell are you pointing a gun at her and trying to kill the both of us for no damned reason? Since when does what's on the outside count and not the inside?!"

I drew in several lungful's of air, out of breath from my winded speech. I'm not even sure why I said all of that. Katniss hadn't been gone for long but somehow I knew she was far away from me and I won't see her for quite some time. I could feel it in my heart, in my soul. She wasn't perfect, but I loved her. And at that point what I said couldn't have been truer. Tobias seemed to realize this. He turned towards Tris.

A weak apology left his lips and he stepped towards her. Weakly, I nudged Tris' leg. She looked down at me and we exchanged simple smiles. Her smile made my heart skip a beat, her eyes glittered in a way I'd only seen Katniss' do on our wedding day. It was a look of complete love and adoration. A look of gratefulness. All of that and more. Tris walked to him. I watched him wrap his arms around her and hold her close. He muttered 'I love you's and 'I missed you's and everything I would've told Katniss if I had her back in my arms. But I didn't. So I turned away, feeling a hot stream of tears trickle down my cheeks. The pain in my shoulder was still strong, but it was nothing compared to the pain and sorrow in my heart. It wasn't as bad as the quiet sobs I had to choke down.

After what felt like forever and a day, they broke apart. Tris looked at me, clearly worried. I smiled weakly, not strong enough to do much more. She whispered something in Tobias' ear and he nodded. The next thing I knew I was being lifted off the ground.

Pressure was placed on the wound by accident and I cried out in agony. I clamped my mouth shut so I wouldn't make anymore noise. I closed my eyes, trying to ignore the unbearable pain that flitted through me. When I was near blissful unconsciousness, I heard them speak again. I decided to listen.

"Think he'll be ok?" Tobias whispered.

"I hope so, it's only a shoulder wound but it looks really bad, and I doubt he's ever been shot before. We need to get him to his house fast and hope we're not too late. It would be a shame, he's a great man and he's certainly helped me a lot."

"Wow, Tris, when did you get so deep?" he chuckled, "I'm sure he'll be fine. We'll just have to keep him awake a bit longer."

I laughed meekly, "Sleep actually sounds really good right now. My shoulder hurts."

"I know it does, Peeta. Just stay awake, stay strong. We need you, I need you."

I was barely to hear her last three words, but I was glad that all the anger and tension had been diffused. Only then was I able to let unconsciousness to take me away into the recesses of my own mind.


End file.
